Sources in the DPI’s (Schools) office said there were 1,300 posts of principals in senior secondary schools of Punjab and there were less than 125 regular principals. On the remaining posts, lecturers were officiating. In nearly 200 schools, lecturers with five to seven years of experience were acting as officiating principals, sources added.

In Hoshiarpur district, only six out of 94 senior secondary schools have regular principals.

District Education Officer (Schools) Hukam Singh, blamed teachers, who, he said, move court to challenge the seniority list and get stay orders for delaying the DPC meeting. He was, however, optimistic that the government would soon fill the vacancies. Education Minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur, meanwhile, was not available for comments.